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ACTS 26

By: Steve Negley

Posted: April 30, 2024

Category: Daily Devotional

You can love Paul or you can hate Paul. (I have found that most Christians have a fairly strong opinion of the man.) Paul took his calling as an apostle and as a Christian seriously. In the second half of the book of Acts, we pretty closely follow Paul. And we see that Paul was consistent in his desire to share his faith.

In chapter 26 of Acts, Paul gets the opportunity to defend himself before King Agrippa, speaking to the charges against him that had been brought by the Jewish leaders. And rather than just trying to save his own neck, Paul tries to “save” the king. Paul told his story with God (his testimony), hoping that it would be told for God (to help convert Agrippa.)

And King Agrippa saw what was happening.

24 While [Paul] was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

Paul refused to let an opportunity go by to share with someone else the Good News of what God had done for him.

All of us have a story to tell — the story of us with God. And, do we realize, that when we take the time to tell that story, God might just use the relationship we have with someone, the occasion, and the passion we have in telling our own Christian story, to invite that someone into writing their own story with God?

Prayer

God, help me to see in my work this day, not only the tasks that I must accomplish, but also the opportunities that exist for me to simply share my story of what your love has done for me. Maybe someone will see that love also in their own life, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. Amen.